Queen of the May

Hello, dear friends.  I am so sorry I have been such a naughty blogger lately.  Time seems to have disappeared into thin air!

I am pleased that Vintage Vicki and Claire from My Little Life were pleased with their giveaway prizes.

For Vicki I knitted a blue lacy scarf and bought some postcards from Country Lines in Honiton:

and for Claire I crocheted a little owl, from this pattern, from Roman Sock

and a few more postcards, but I forgot to take a picture of them.  Duh!

Isn't it funny that the two people Marathon Runner picked out of the bowl were both from Suffolk!

I also made another little owl for my owl-mad godmother, who had a birthday recently.  (Her present is wrapped in the brown parcel.)

We had a lovely moon the other day.  My camera is a bit rubbish but I managed to get a reasonable photo as Mad Child and I walked home from Guides.

Isn't it amazing that you throw something away because it doesn't flower, and then, hey presto, there it is flowering!

Aren't things supposed to rot when you put them in the compost heap?

Finally, I was reminded today of this post from last year, when the children and I went to Kingsbury May Festival in Somerset.  This year of course, Scary had better things to do, but Mad Child can still be bribed to come!

She tried a little bit of archery, and now wants to be in Robin Hood's gang.

Yes, she's still into penguins!

I think Mad Child took this one!  (There was some poor devil underneath that!)

The food was very good, lots of choice and I thought quite reasonably priced.  These were the vegetarian options

but there was also a hog roast and various other alternatives, and some very odd things that tasted a bit like doughnuts

The town band was playing in the churchyard

and a good day was had by all, even if it was a little bit cold!

I couldn't resist this.  What is it they say about owners being like their dogs???

Bits and Pieces

Fancy a bun?

Not sure where this week has gone but spring has definitely sprung!

Poor Scary went to the Orthodontist this week and has to have four teeth out AND a brace to get her teeth straight!  I've heard that once they get the braces, it is quite 'cool' but at the moment she is very slowly coming to terms with it.  I think she is wondering what The Boyfriend will think about it.

What did you think of the new Dr Who then?  We thought he was excellent!  Mad Child really liked the comment "Get a girlfriend Geoff!"  Of course, we also had Ashes to Ashes and Jonathan Creek over the weekend so for us it was top notch televisual entertainment.  About time something decent was on though.

Anyway, still haven't shown you my birthday presents but it's getting a bit late now so will try and do that tomorrow.

Many thanks for all your lovely comments and I'm still working on the scarf so that hopefully it will be ready to post next Monday (have had to start it again, bah!).

See you soon.  Gotta finish my birthday chocolate before the gannets get home!  Go on, have another bun!

Three Things and A Giveaway

First of all, Happy Easter and I hope that you are having a lovely weekend.

Anyone fancy an egg before they all disappear?

Secondly, this is my 100th post!  Way hey!  I've seen lots of other people do giveaways on landmark anniversaries and I really would like to try this.  However, a little part of me wonders if I should.  Do I have enough people following/reading/caring? 

Well, here goes, let's do it.

If you comment on this post, or you join/have joined my followers, then I will enter you into a draw which I will do next Sunday 11th April at 12 noon British Summer Time.  Not exactly sure what you will get but it might be something woolly that you wear around your neck!  It will definitely include this postcard though:-

and I am happy to send overseas.

Thirdly, it's my birthday today.  The weather has been lovely, I've had some gorgeous presents and a really lazy day.  More on this in another post.

And fourthly (is that a word?) surprise surprise, my mantelpiece is up!!!

After over two years mantelpieceless, I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to happen.  But now I've got one, With Knobs On!

Literally!

Duck!

PLEASE NOTE:  There are some rather rude words in this post!

Round about now, my collection of ducks usually makes an appearance.

My favourite is Digby

and he is the archetype of a concept that really irritates me

faux swearing

It did make me laugh when Marathon Runner gave him to me a few years ago, though.

This concept was quite cleverly summarized in a book, also given to me by Marathon Runner last year, called "Is It Just Me or is Everything Shit?"

"Strolling past The Shop Formerly Known As French Connection, have you ever been driven to splutter, giggle, tap your companion's shoulder and exclaim, 'Look, look - it almost says FUCK'?  I rather think you haven't.

Similarly, when you hear a panel show called Stupid Punts, there is unlikely to be a mass gasp of shock.  Maybe some old people would be shocked - but they're unlikely to be watching BBC3.  (Actually, most people are unlikely to be watching BBC3, but you take my point.)  During the fox-hunting debate, there wasn't a news source in the land that could resist a cheeky play on the word 'fox'.

There is nothing big or clever about pretending to swear.  If you want to be big and clever you need to call your shop Spunky Fucking Tit-Monkey's Arsing Cockarama and Co.  Now that's swearing."

Some people swear.  Some people swear a lot and some people don't swear at all.  That's life.  We have a choice.

Do you think he's saying: "Shit, there's a sodding ladybird on my conk!"

Or: "Oh look, a Coccinnella 7-punctata has landed on my rostrum!"

I swear.  My husband doesn't much.  One of my children does, the other doesn't.  They are just words; an amalgamation of letters in a particular order.

However, I wouldn't dream of using the word 'ginormous'!

Show-Off Sunday

Just a quick post today, to show you this really quick scarf I knitted this week.  I treated myself to some rather posh wool; a blend of merino and silk from Uruguay.  Let's not burden Marathon Runner with how much it cost.  (Shh, I don't think I have ever spent so much on one skein of wool!)

It knitted up so quickly, that I thought I would knit another one for a friend whose birthday is on Tuesday.  I had some fluffy wool, bought years ago for heavens knows what, but after two attempts and LOTS of knots, I think I am going to give up.  Not only is it very hard to see the pattern, it is absolutely impossible to back-track if you make a mistake and very easy to knit bits of fluff instead of the actual stitch.  So she won't be getting a scarf for her birthday.

Back to the drawing board but with only just over 24 hours to go!

Anyway, this is turning into a longer post than anticipated but just have to show you this:

Can you see the bee?  Today I cut the grass for the first time this year.  I can't believe that it is nearly Easter already!  Chocolate here I come ...

In a Country Churchyard .... in your Kinky Boots!

I found a lovely remnant the other day and resolved to make an apron out of it for my friend D.  She has been my friend for what seems like forever, but in reality we have known each other since we were four years old when we started school together.  I admire her so much because she has picked herself up from a rotten marriage and has just finished a degree and started working in elderly care, something she has wanted to do for a long time.

So the other day I cut it out and today I managed to finish it.  It is hard to see but the material has apples, cherries, lemons and apricots on it.  Hopefully it will match her newly decorated kitchen, which is yellow.

I didn't quite have enough material to do the waist ties but I hope you think the green backing material doesn't look too bad.

Scary deigned to model it for me today.  Don't you just wish your bum looked like this?

And what about the kinky boots?

Marathon Runner couldn't quite handle the boots.  I think men find it difficult when confronted by their daughters in such attire!

As it was such a lovely day today, we popped into a nearby churchyard to have a little walk.  This is Widworthy Church, just off the A35 near Wilmington, Devon.

St Cuthbert's Church was built in the fourteenth century on the site of an earlier wooden church and may even be the site of pre-christian burials.

Do you know the song by Chris de Burgh that goes:

 "In a country churchyard, there's a preacher and his people

Gathered all around to join a man and woman,
Spring is here and turtledoves are singing from the steeple,
Bees are in the flowers, growing in the graveyard,
And over the hill, where the river meets the mill,
A lovely girl is coming down,
To give her hand upon her wedding day...
Dressed in simple white and wearing flowers in her hair,
Music as she walks slowly to the altar,
And picking up his bible then the preacher turns towards her,
"Will you take this man to be your wedded husband,
to honour and love in the eyes of God above,
Now let the people sing with me,
The words to live forever in your heart...

Let your love shine on,
For we are the stars in the sky,
Let your love shine strong,
Until the day you fly away"

Many years have fallen on that golden country morning,
The graveyard's overgrown, the church lies in ruins,
Ivy on the walls and ravens wheeling round above me,
As I made my way towards the last remaining headstone,
I fell to my knees, read the lines beneath the leaves,

And suddenly it seemed to me,
I heard the words like singing in the trees...
Let your love shine on,
For we are the stars in the sky,
Let your love shine strong,
Until the day you fly away..."

Sorry, I was just going to quote the first couple of lines but I just got carried away!  It is one of my favourite songs and I always imagine I am here when I hear it.

Although I am not a church-goer, this is really a special place for me.

Don't you just love old gravestones?

I do hope you have all had a relaxing weekend.  See you soon.

What I've Been Up To

Well, where have the last five days gone?  There's been a little bit of this:

Followed by a bit of this:

Some cutting out, some baking, some cleaning (!), some working and some viewing:

I'm not overly into vampires, but I stumbled upon this a few episodes into the series and got hooked.  When I ascertained that no-one was rushing around getting me a Mother's Day present, I decided to buy it for myself!  Oh err, not one for the children, however, much as they are into the undead!

Spring has definitely sprung and the weather has been lovely, although we have had a little rain tonight.  It's quite nice to be able to go out in a light coat.

Many thanks to you all for the lovely comments lately and, please keep reading, because I'm coming up to my 100th post and also my birthday, so who knows what will happen then?

This fellow has been hovering around a lot lately:

Do you think they have come to take me away, ha ha?

Happy St David's Day!

Guess what I've been doing? Yes, trying to take some arty photos! With the added side effect of CAKE.


Spring has definitely sprung today, albeit probably temporarily. My hyacinths smell lovely (yes, I can smell them eventually).


And a new magazine caught my eye on the way to work this morning. (Not that I've had chance to read it yet!)

Mushroom soup for tea tonight:

Welcome to March!

What I've Been Up To

The snow is still looking beautiful, at least it is from indoors, which is where I have stayed as much as possible lately!

I sent Marathon Runner out with the camera. The first few shots were interesting. This is the only one I can actually make out what it is!



His feet. Hmm.


This is Honiton High Street last week.

I fancy this snow creates rather a lot of washing.



Meanwhile, indoors

Marathon Runner and Mad Child have started a 1,000 piece jigsaw! They've been at it for days and have only done the edge! Not sure I can cope with an extra table in the dining room until Easter, which is how long I think it's going to take.

There's been a bit of experimental baking from a new recipe book received at Christmas. Not 100% successful, hence no picture! Worth persevering with though, I think, lots of lovely ideas in there.

Decided to make some old favourites, coffee buns and date slices instead! I can do them with my eyes shut and they don't use a whole pot of peanut butter!

There has been another sign of spring, even if it is indoors!

Today I made myself a microwavable rice pillow. I am hoping it will help with my frozen shoulder, which I seem to have had FOREVER. Not something you would wish on your worst enemy. I added a few lavender buds and used up the brown rice that nobody likes!

I've also been playing with making badges out of material. (Not sure where I am going with this but thought I'd give it a try.)

Hopefully the little darlings will be back at School tomorrow (please). There have been rather a lot of tweens and teenagers here over the last few days, all wanting fed of course. Not sure how many more toasted cheese sandwiches I can rustle up without inserting said butty into one of the recipient's orifices!